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Social Distancing - What Does it Mean?

To protect public health and slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19, gatherings as described below should be postponed or canceled across the state of California for at least the remainder of the month of March.

The California Department of Public Health finds the following:

• Large gatherings that include 250 people or more should be postponed or canceled.

          o This includes gatherings such as concerts, conferences, and professional, college, and school sporting events.

• Smaller gatherings held in venues that do not allow social distancing of six feet per person should be postponed or canceled.

          o This includes gatherings in crowded auditoriums, rooms or other venues.

• Gatherings of individuals who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should be limited to no more than 10 people.

          o This includes gatherings such as those at retirement facilities, assisted living facilities, developmental homes, and support groups for people with

             health conditions.

• A “gathering” is any event or convening that brings together people in a single room or single space at the same time, such as an auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference room, meeting hall, cafeteria, or any other indoor or outdoor space.

This applies to all non-essential professional, social, and community gatherings regardless of their sponsor. Gatherings that do not meet the aforementioned criteria should only be conducted when they are essential—that is, if the activity is essential and could not be postponed or achieved without gathering, meaning that some other means of communication could not be used to conduct the essential function.